“…So, are you going to eat with us?”
Sayo, glancing up, asked with a heavy sigh. Meanwhile, Ookamikko continued to grin, watching Soohyun clinging to Sayo’s waist. Sayo wasn’t sure how the situation had escalated to this point, but she was secretly pleased.
After all, her impudent Mama, who had only teased her since they met, was now clinging to her. And quite strongly. As if she couldn’t function without Sayo.
Ookamikko called for a waiter instead of answering.
“It seems more beneficial for both of us, Sayo-chan. You look quite satisfied.”
“Ugh. Don’t talk nonsense, senpai.”
“Haha. Sorry, sorry.”
Ookamikko backed off with a laugh, but her gaze remained fixed on Soohyun. Her appearance was incredibly close to her ideal, no matter how many times she saw it. So much so that if Sayo wasn’t there, she would have dragged Soohyun to a hotel by force.
Takahashi Sayo.
To Ookamikko, that woman was the strongest brake, but when it came to protecting herself and those around her, she was a woman with no brakes.
Although her broadcast persona and real self were quite different, what they shared was recklessness. Even now, looking so fragile, she possessed the audacity to strike the person in front of her with a hammer.
Ookamikko, despite teasing Sayo, was wary of her. Not just because Sayo had the potential for violence. Sayo’s physique was clearly below average, and she looked like she could be subdued even by a high school student…
But for some reason, her grip strength was a monstrous 72kg. An anomaly that even doctors couldn’t explain. Ookamikko initially thought it was an act, but after witnessing an apple being mercilessly crushed in Sayo’s hand, she realized.
That she would get her neck broken in close combat with Sayo. Recalling the fear she felt that day, which she dismissed as a joke, Ookamikko straightened her slightly hunched posture. An instinctive lowering of her stance.
Soohyun couldn’t stand the subtle tension between the two. For her, with her lack of social skills, enduring this atmosphere for more than ten minutes was already a testament to her effort.
With just Sayo, Soohyun could pretend to be socially adjusted, but with the appearance of Ookamikko, whose aura was even stronger than Sayo’s, she immediately reverted to a socially awkward nerd.
“exhales”
Shuffle!
Soohyun, hiding behind Sayo, finally stepped forward. The resolute will of someone with something to say. While Soohyun recharged her social battery to speak, Sayo stared at her.
‘Huh… she’s taller than I thought?’
Realizing that Soohyun was considerably taller than her, Sayo felt dejected. A slight difference would have been fine, but she must be around 163cm. So… tall. Compared to her height, everything else…
Oblivious to Sayo’s deflated demeanor, Soohyun looked at her with a slightly awkward expression. It only served to remind Sayo that it wasn’t just her figure that was mature.
“S-Sayo-chan. Should we… go now…?”
“Yeah. Let’s see each other again later, Mama. I think I have something to talk about with senpai.”
Sayo chuckled and placed her hand on Soohyun’s head. After stroking her soft silver hair a few times, Sayo sent Soohyun outside, stopping Ookamikko with a look as she offered to see Soohyun off.
Clink
As the door closed, Ookamikko immediately sat down and poured herself some sake. Sayo quickly joined her and looked at her.
“Sayo-chan. Want to hear an interesting story?”
“Yes. I’m curious.”
Sayo chuckled while eating edamame. Unlike the smile she showed Soohyun, this one was laced with a cold cynicism. Ookamikko noticed it but believed her story would be more painful.
Clatter.
Ookamikko stood up and slowly walked towards Sayo. The last vestiges of respect and courtesy Sayo held for her senior vanished from her eyes. Sayo didn’t know why her senior was being so unpleasant today, but she decided to wait and see.
“You don’t really know White Palette-san’s nationality, her true personality… or even her real name. Do you?”
A sudden comparison of their closeness. A childish act, but Sayo had a noble purpose, at least in her own mind: eliminating a rival.
“Do you know, senpai? None of that has been revealed.”
“Yes. Coincidentally, I know everything.”
Smirk.
A victorious smile. Her red eyes curved unpleasantly. Sayo didn’t react to that expression. To the obvious provocation, Sayo…
“I’ve known her for three years, so I don’t need those things.”
She played dirty, using something that couldn’t be changed. But Fujimoto Ookamikko was a veteran of the yakuza world. She had dealt with several people and faced countless death threats. To be provoked by such words…
“…Huh?”
She was irritated.
“No, no. You need it, right? A real name is important. Especially in the Vtuber world…”
Sayo was still young enough to be teased. She wasn’t in her thirties yet. Although it might hurt a little, it wouldn’t hurt as much as Ookamikko. Just looking at her appearance, Ookamikko was clearly past her mid-twenties. Considering her aura and looks, she was hardly a “beautiful girl.”
Ookamikko, who was really approaching her thirties, had an incredibly low defense against age-related topics. Sayo, noticing the blood rushing to Ookamikko’s head, easily grasped her simple weakness.
“Senpai, have you ever talked to Mama when she was in high school? I have.”
“B-But I know Soohyun’s nationality…”
Gasp.
Ookamikko quickly covered her mouth, but the words she uttered couldn’t be taken back. An impatience unbecoming of an adult. In the world she lived in, all that mattered was getting things done, even if it meant eliminating people, so it could be considered an occupational hazard.
Sayo curved her lips upwards, a smile so wide it seemed impossible for such a small mouth. A smile anyone would find cute, but to Inuko, it looked like the smile of a devil.
“Ah. Soohyun. Yes. It’s a nice name. Judging by the pronunciation, she’s Korean, right? Now your information advantage is gone.”
Press.
A long, white finger with black nail polish pressed against Ookamikko’s forehead. To suppress her boiling anger.
“Sayo-chan. Even though I look like this…”
This woman was about to declare her high-ranking position in the yakuza. Ookamikko, now resorting to revealing her greatest strength and weakness. But fortunately, something was faster.
Ring!
A notification on her phone. Ookamikko, who took out her phone to quickly turn it off, frowned at the name on the screen. Sayo, seeing the name “Hanamori Miyu,” also closed her mouth.
“…Ah. Sayo. Sorry. Can you wait a moment? I have a call from an annoying woman…”
“Okay. Let’s talk about this later… Senpai, you look a bit stressed.”
Anyone who knew even a little about Hanamori Miyu would understand.
A major Vtuber with 2.03 million subscribers, known for her innocence and cuteness at Hanalive, the biggest Vtuber agency. She was poorly regarded by most Vtubers in the industry.
It wasn’t that her real-life personality was ugly or bad. Then why? Ookamikko grimaced and answered the call.
“Hello.”
“Yo, Inuko-san. I’m in Shibuya right now. Can you lend me about 10,000 yen for pachinko? I’ll pay you back double when I win.”
“Sigh… This is the fifth time this month.”
“I paid you back last time! Of course, I hit the jackpot in the last gamble…”
The reason was very simple.
An extreme procrastinator who hadn’t bothered to memorize Ookamikko’s real name even after two years of collaboration, and a gambling addict who poured most of her earnings into pachinko.
Innocence and depravity. A person with these two contrasting traits. An idol whose duality, so incredible that it was a mystery how she maintained her RP, was both respected and despised by all Vtubers.
That was Hanamori Miyu.
“Sigh…”
I walked with the weary steps of a tired office worker.
Ah. I’m tired. Tired. Tired. Exhausted~.
I finally realized that the Shibuya night streets didn’t suit me at all. Even if I lived in Japan, I would never live in Shibuya.
It might suit flashy people like Ookamikko-san, but it definitely doesn’t suit me. Just the number of people gathered at the scramble crossing made me dizzy. A crazy crowd, hard to distinguish one head from another, and dazzling lights.
Walking past such glamour and revelry, I suddenly saw dark alleys. The contrast was so stark that it sent a chill down my spine, and I walked without looking to the sides as much as possible.
Ignoring the dark alleys, I saw a building shining brighter than any other. It was a pachinko parlor. Office workers still in their suits and housewives stared blankly at the noisy machines, as if mesmerized.
Clatter, clatter. Ring!!!
“This is it! This is it! It’s happening! Let’s go!!!”
And among them, the most noticeable person was a girl shouting loudly in the center. Although she was wearing a black hat pulled low, her light pink hair stood out in the drab surroundings.
Long hair reaching down to her waist. Hair that looked like it was spun from cherry blossoms fluttered gently. A naive laugh that contrasted with her noble appearance.
“Wahaha! I have a good feeling today! Let’s go big!”
Her feet bounced as she tapped the floor. The adults around her… seemed surprisingly indifferent. Whether it was because their pachinko was more important, or because they were used to her, I didn’t know…
“Oh! Hi there! Want unnie to spin it for you? I smell a jackpot!”
…Me?
More importantly, who are you?
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore I Became An Elusive Peddler. Start reading now!
Read : I Became An Elusive Peddler
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